Aircraft armament



April 17, 1945 c. H. MILLER ET'AL 2,373,904

vAIRCRAFT ARMAMENT Filed oct. io, 1940 2 snags-sheet 1 ATTO NEY Patentedpr. 17, 1945 STA einer AIRCRAFT RENT Charles H. Miller, Amityville, andCroydon H. A.

Hartley, Garden City, N. Y., assignors to Republic Aviation Corporation,a corporation of Delaware Application October 10, 1940, Serial No.360,554

(Ci. Sli-L) 9 Claims.

to which the presentI invention pertains, usually includes bomb rackshaving a capacity of, say, ve relatively small bombs, the rack havingoperating mechanism for discharging the bombs either in salvo or oneafter the other and are provided with a device for retaining orreleasing the safety wire of the bomb depending on whether` the bomb isto be discharged in safe or armed condition.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide auxiliaryequipment by which the conventional bomb rack is rendered capable ofdischarging bombs of materially greater size and weight than those forwhich the bomb rack was originally intended.

Another object is to provide a bomb rack adaptor for association with,and operation by, the usual bomb rack, by which same is rendered capableof handling both large and small bombs Without necessitating any changesin the usual rack arrangement or its operating mechanism.

In its more specic aspect the invention provides a bomb rack adaptorhaving a capacity materially greater than the usual bomb rack, adaptedfor operative association with the usual bomb rack in such manner thatthe' several bombs carried by a. series of these adaptors may be dis-Fig.v 2 is a fragmentary transverse section. ,through the wing of anaircraft illustrating the bomb rack adapter of the present invention inelevation with parts broken away.

The arrangement and operating mechanism of the conventional bomb rackshown is substantially similar t'o that shown and described in PatentNo. 2,578,482` granted April 7, 1942 to A. M. Pishvanov from co-pendngapplication Serial Number 210,628, led May 28, 1938. This bomb rackincludes an elongate frame mounted interiorly of the wing structure t,the frame having a series of bomb stations each including a bombsupporting hook 6 and a safety catch 'l pivoted on the frame, arrangedat intervals therealong ample to accommodate relatively small bombs.Each hook '6 has a sear 8 normally holding the hook in cocked position,with the sear engaged against a notched disk 9. As the disk 9 isrotated, its notch becomes aligned with the sear 8 thereby releasing thehook t to drop the bomb. The disks are carried on a rotatable shaft IBwhich is rotated a predetermined angular distance by reciprocation of acam follower l i in cooperation with a cam drum i2. The follower Il isguided in its reciprocatory movement by a slide bar i3, the latter beingactuated by a solenoid It and a restoring spring l5. `By suitablyorienting notches of the disks t about the shaft It, any desired orderof operation ofthe bomb stations may behad. Each time the solenoid it isenergized, the resultant reciprocation of the follower li cooperatingwith the carnli, rotates the shaft I0 to release thebomb at one of thestations, the series of bombs being thus discharged one after anotherbysuccessive operations of the solenoid.

All of the bombs may be dropped in salvo by a locked, the bomb isdischarged in safe or unarmed condition by releasing the safety wire asthe bomb is dropped. The locking or unloeking of the catch 'l iseii'ected by a pivoted dog, not shown, which may be swung into or out oflocking engagement with the catch by actuating a bar ll connected to thedog at each station by an arm I8.

The structure and mechanism outlined in the foregoing descriptionconstitutes the bomb rack,

per se, which forms the subject matter of said Pishvanov Patent Number2,278,482. This bomb rack is illustrated by way of example only, to setforth the association and cooperation therewith of the bomb rack adaptorof the invention,

The adaptor comprises an elongate frame 20,

` bombs.

preferabiy o1' channel or tubular form having lati erally projectingflanges 2| which are secured to the bottom of the wing structure 4. Itmaybe here noted that the conventional bomb rack is usually mountedspanwise of the wing, holding the series of bombs in a row along thewing, each bomb having only one loop engaging the hook of its bombstation with the bomb axis fore-andaft of the airplane; The bomb rackadaptor,

however, is arranged chordwise of the wing or atv right angles to thebomb rack. This arrangement of the adaptor is desired in order toaccommodate two holding loops usually required on bombs of larger size,the greater length of which requires support at more than one point. Itwill be noted, however, that in the instance where the larger bombrequires only one point of support, other arrangements of` the adaptorin relation to th bomb rack may be had, if desired. 1

The mechanism of the adaptor for holding and releasing a bomb includesone or more hooks 22 pivoted on bracket plates 23 secured to the framechannel 20. Each hook 22 has an arm 24 extending upwardly into thechannel trame 20 and articulated to an elongate bar 25 extendingsubstantially through the channel frame 20. A spring 26, anchored at oneend to the frame 20 and engaging a member 21 on the bar 25, constitutesmeans by which the hooks 22 are urged ,to'bomb-releasing position. 'At apoint along the the bomb rack hook 6 and the adaptor hooks 22.,

It will be noted that the bellcrank 28 may be articulated to the bar 25at any desired point along the bar, which feature ailords latitude as tothe relative positions of the bomb rack and adaptor.

As shown in Figure 2, the loop of the large bomb engages the hook 22 ata point only slightly oilset horizontally from the hook pivot so that,although the weight of the bomb tends to swing the hook to releaseposition, only a light force is required t maintain the hook inbomb-holding position. Although the spring 26 assists in releasing thebomb, its primary purpose is to hold themechanism inv released positionafter discharging the As previously described, the weight of the bombacting on lthe hooks 22 tends to swing same to released position. lThistendency is counteracted by the bellcrank 28 ,in engagement with thehook 6 of the bomb rack. As the hook 8 is solenoid and associatedmechanism and thus assures dependable operation of the bomb rack,whether using the large or small bombs. A Iur` ther `advantage is had bythe adaptability of the safety catches l of the bomb rack for use withlarger bombs as well as the smaller ones, thus eliminating the necessityof safety catches in the Amechanism of the adaptor.

It will be seen that the adaptor of the invention,

in operative association with the conventional bomb rack, materiallyincreases the capacity of the airplanes bombing equipment, making samecapable of handling a number of much larger bombs as well as the smallbombs, as desired. Conversion of the bombing equipment from one size ofbomb to the other may be easily effected by removing or installing theadaptor as a unit, without requiring any changes whatsoever to the bombrack. When the bombing equipment is armed with both sizes of bombs, asshown in Figure 1, it is desired that the notches of the disks 9 be sooriented about the shaft I0 that the bomb stations, numbers two andfour, be operated last, in order that the larger bombs be out of the waybefore the smaller bombs carried between each pair of larger bombs arereleased, in the instance where the bombs are dropped selectively or intrain. Having now made certain the nature and purposes of our invention,and at least one mode of executing same, in such manner as to enableanyone skilled in the art to which it appertains, to make and use same,as required by the statutes, that which we claim as our property, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,

l. A bomb rack adaptor for use in conjunction "with an airplane bombrack of the type entirely lodged in the interior of the wing of theairplane and having a series of hooks for relatively small bombssuspended spanwise along an elongate frame and a manually controlledoperating mechanism adapted to release ,these bombs in determined orderand in either safe "or armed condition, said adaptor comprising anelongate channel frame secured chordwise to the bottom of the wingstructure below an empty hook of the rack, a pair of auxiliary hookspivoted to said frame with the bomb-engaging point of each hookreleased, the bellcranl: 28 is freed and thus releases each of theadaptor hooks 22 simultane- 'gusly through the medium of the connectingA salient feature of the adaptor release mechwith the portion of thehook engaging the bombA loop, asrpreviously described. This is an impor@tant advantage in that the increased weight of the larger bomb does notincrease the work of an operative `connection between said Vbar andvsaid' empty hook, said members being thus organized, together with thereleasing-mechanism in such manner that releasing movement of therelease-mechanism of the small-bomb rack el'- iectuates the movement ofsaid connections to thereby release said large bomb.

2. In bombing equipment for airplanes in which a ush type b omb rack isarranged lnteriorlyot the airplanes lower covering, the bomb rack hav- Ying a series of hooks for relatively small bombs and an operatingmechanism to release these bombs in determined order and condition: atleast one adaptor for a relativelylarge bomb, comprising an elongatedhollow frame attachable exteriorly of the airplanes lower covering, apair of auxiliary hooks pivoted on said frame, a bar slidable withinthis frame and connecting. said auxiliary hooks for movement in unison,a spring urging this bar to open these auxiliary hooks, and a triggerpivotedl on said frame, articulated to said bar, and extending upwardlythrough the airplane's lower covering for engagement with an empty hookof the bomb rack, this trigger being arranged and organized topositively hold this bar in active position against the action of thisspring when thus engaged as long as this.

empty hook remains closed, whereby discharge of the large bomb iscontrolled by the bomb rack operating mechanism through the openingoperation of this empty hook.

3'. For use with a bombing rack that includes a plurality ofnormally-closed suspension hooks adapted to be opened to discharge aseries of small bombs and manually controlled releasing means adapted toopen said hooks either individually, in salvo, or in train: an adaptorallowing substitution of a bomb of substantiallyl heavier caliber forone small bomb of said series without entailing any change whatever insaid rack; said adaptor comprising: a frame attachable to the rack; atleast one auxiliary suspension hook pivoted to said frame andconstructed forcarrying the substituted heavier bomb; locking means,

normally held in active position by the empty hook of the rack,forvholding said auxiliary suspension hook in its closed position tothereby support said large bomb and organized therewith to be indirectlycontrollable by said manually controlled releasing means; and ,means foradjusting the load applied by said locking means upon said empty hook tosubstantially correspond fil to the predetermined weight of the omittedsmall bomb.

4. An adaptor, for use with a bomb-rack of the kind having a series ofhook for relatively-small bombs and having operating mechanism forreleasing same in predetermined order, comprising: a frame forcooperation with said rack and designed to be mounted on anaircraftbelow said rack; at least one auxiliary hook pivoted to saidframe under said rack for carrying a bomb substantially-larger than saidsmall bombs; locking means cooperativelwith an empty hook of said rackfor normally holding said auxiliary hook closed to hold said large bombin place; and means for adjustingthe operative connection between saidauxiliary hook and'said corresponding empty hook of the rack to therebyeiectuate the release of said large bomb by actuation of the bomb-rackoperating mechanism, in the same manner as the release of the small bomb'for which the large bomb is substituted.

5. A bomb rack adaptor for use in conjunction with an airplane bomb rackhaving a series of normally closed hooks for relatively small bombs andan operating mechanism adapted to release these bombs by opening ofthese hooks ,in determined order and condition, said adaptor comprisingan elongate frame, a pair of bomb-supporting hooks pivoted along saidvframe with their bombengaging points offset but slightly horizontallyfrom said pivot points for carrying a yrelatively large bomb, said frameincluding means for normally holding said hooks closed against thetendency of the weight of the large bomb to open same, a barconnecting'said hooks for operation in unison, and a trigger pivotedupon said frame and engaging said bar and said bomb rack to set upforces normally restraining all movement of said bar, saldi triggerhaving an arm articulated to one end of said bar and an upwardlyprojecting second arm engaged into a closed, empty hook of the bomb rackand thereby setting up forces restraining movement of said trigger tonormally hold same stationary, said engagement when complete,.consequently setting up forces retaining the large bomb in place, andmeans for applying releasing force through the release mechanism of thebomb rack to discontinue the engagement and release said large bomb.

6. The combination with an aircraft structure, of a bomb rack mountedthereon having a series of suspending devices each to support a bomb ina predetermined position with respect to the aircraft structure andmovable to release the supported bomb, means for retaining said devicesin bomb supportion position, means for releasing said retaining means toeffect the release of the supported bombs, an adapter attached to theaircraft structure to cooperate with one of said devices, suspendingmeans incorporated in said adapter to releasably support a bomb in aposition other than that predetermined for the bombs supported by saiddevices, and means whereby the release of the device cooperating withthe adapter also effects the release of the suspending means ofthelatter to release the bomb supported thereby.

7. The combination of a bomb rack having means adapted to occupy aclosed position and an open position and organized in their closedposition to support bombs suspended therefrom, and means `for holdingsaid bomb suspending means in their closed position, the spacing of thebomb suspending means being such that the rack will receive and holdbombs of only a predetermined size, and said bomb rack includingreleasing mechanisms organized with said suspending means to release thesame for travel from their closed position to their open position; witha frame designed to be mounted adjacent said bomb rack and includingmeans for releasably suspending therefrom a bomb exceeding in size saidpredetermined size, and operative connections between said suspendingmeans on said frame and the cooperating suspending means on said rack,said connections being organized with both of said suspending means soas to release said larger bomb by the mere operation of thereleasemechanism for the smaller bomb suspending means in the bomb rack.

8. The combination of a bomb rack having a plurality of means adapted tooccupy closed positions and open positions and organized in their closedpositions to support bombs of a predetermined size suspended therefrom,and releasing mechanisms incorporated in said bomb rack organized withsaid suspending means to release the same for travel from their closedpositions to their open positions, a plurality of frames designed to be-mounted adjacent said bomb rack' and each cooperating with an emptysuspending means of said bomb rack, means for releasably suspending toeach frame a bomb exceeding in size said predetermined size, andoperative connections between said suspending means on each frame andthe associated suspending means on said'rack, soorganized with both ofsaid suspending means to release the larger bomb in response .to therelease of said first-named releasing mechanism, means beingincorporated insaid frame to eiectuate said release by only the samemagnitude of' force and movement of the smaller bomb adapter is disposedadjacent one of said devices releasing mechanism as is necessary torelease one of said smaller bombs. y

9. The combination with an aircraft structure. of a bomb rack fox` aseries of aligned bomb suspending devices attached to said structure,each capable o1' movement from a bomb supporting position to a, bombreleasing position, separate means for holding the individual devices inbomb supporting positions, a series of aligned adapters of less numberthan the aforesaid bomb suspending devices mounted on said structure ina plane separated i'rom and parallel to the plane of said devices, thearrangement being such that each and the bomb suspending devices, notassociated with an adapter, can each be utilized to support a bomb, bombsuspending means incorporated in each of said adapters movable torelease a bomb 10 cent bomb suspending device of tbe bomb rack.

CHARLES H. BHLLER. CROYDON H. A. HARTLEY.

